Mechanical sold out for rotary slant shelf

ABSTRACT

A coin operated vending machine wherein the customer rotates one of a plurality of identical cradle supports to select a particular (soft-drink) can, to spill the can from the cradle, the can then passing to a chute for delivery to the customer. An empty cradle sensing mechanism, in the form of a latch, for preventing rotation of the cradle disengages the latch. When a cradle is empty, the latch carried by it is automatically engaged and prevents rotation of the cradle. When a can is in the cradle, however, the latch is disengaged and the cradle may be rotated by the customer.

United States Patent 1191 Payne Mar. 4, 1975 [54] MECHANICAL SOLD OUTFOR ROTARY 2,529,600 11/1950 Dixon 221/19 SLANT SHELF 2,859,849 11/1958Neidig.... 221/18 X 3,276,624 10/1966 Payne 221/299 X [75] Inventor:Harry R. Payne, Chattanooga,

Tenn Primary E.raminerStanley H. Tollberg [73] Assignee: CavalierCorporation, Chattannoga, SSI'SM I xaminer-Charles A. Marmor T Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Cameron, Kerkam, Sutton,

11 221 Filed: Mar. 13, 1973 Smwe Stowe [21] Appl. No.: 340,672 [57]ABSTRACT A coin operated vending machine wherein the cus- U-S Cltomerrotates one of a plurality f identical radle up- [5 ports to elect aparticular (soft drink) can to the I [58] Field of Search 221/18, 19,20, 125, 277, can f the cradle, the can then passing to a chute 221/17,14, 2 268 for delivery to the customer. An empty cradle sensingmechanism, in the form ofa latch, for preventing rota- [561 ReferencesClted tion of the cradle disengages the latch. When a cradle UNITEDSTATES PATENTS is empty, the latch carried by it is automatically en-690.068 12/1901 1 Mills j. 221/19 gaged and Prevents rotation of thecradlewhen a can 1,348,763 8/1920 Templeton is in the cradle, however,the latch is disengaged and 1,415,337 5/1922 Grover..... the cradle maybe rotated by the customer. 2,099,344 7/1933 Mi1ls.... 2,282,269 5/1942Tone 221/13 X 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures MECHANICAL SOLD OUT FOR ROTARYSLANT SHELF This invention relates to coin-operated vending machines ofthe type adapted to vend or dispense single items. Such a machine storesa plurality of similarly shaped items, such as several brands ofsoft-drink cans. After insertion of a coin, the customer makes aselection of one of the items, such as a particular brand of soft-drink,and the item is then delivered to the customer at the bottom of themachine.

Coin operated vending machines are of several con structions, and thisinvention relates to that type of vending machine construction whereinthe customer rotates a cradle support to dislodge or spill from thecradle the desired single item, such as an individual soft drink can.This type of coin operated vending machine is known, as may be seen, byway of example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,151,774 and 3,276,624 both issued toPayne. According to the construction shown by these patents, dispensingis accomplished by rotation of one of the vertically stacked cradlesupports each cradle being supplied from a corresponding inclined rampupon which are placed a plurality of articles to be dispensed. Devicesof this general type have enjoyed wide acceptance. However, it sometimeshappens that even with viewing means for inspecting the supply ofavailable articles, an empty cradle is inadvertantly selected by thecustomer and rotated. Rotation of any one of the rotary cradles acts insuch a manner, as fully described in the noted Payne patents, to preventrotation of a second rotary cradle. Accordingly, should the customermistakenly rotate an empty crade, he would receive no article from themachine without the insertion ofa second coin and rotation of another(full) cradle. The practice of this invention precludes this undesirablesituation.

According to the practice of this invention, an empty supply sensingmechanism is added to a known rotary cradle type vending machine of thekind described in the above-mentioned Payne patents. A pivoted latch issupported on and carried by each of the rotary cradles. The latch ispositioned at the lower part of each cradle in its normal,non-dispensing position and the presence of an object to be dispensed,such as a can, causes disengagement of the latch.

When, however, the cradle support is empty, the latch is spring urgedinto engagement with a stationary part of the vending machine to therebypreclude rotation of that particular rotary cradle. With thisarrangement, it is impossible for the customer to rotate an emptycradle. The customer must then, by necessity, either select anotherrotary cradle or, alternatively, obtain the originally inserted coin bydepression of a suitable coin return mechanism. The latter suchmechanisms are well known, form no part of this invention, andaccordingly will not be described.

The prior art is aware of supply exhaust detection mechanisms in vendingmachines. For example US. Pat. Nos. 2,308,532 to Mills and 2,282,269 toTone include a sensing element responsive to an empty supply ofarticles, in a cradle type dispenser. Also, US. Pat. No. 1,415,337 toGrover discloses a privotal lever adapted to contact an article androckable to a latching position upon the absence of supply. Whileapparantly satisfactory in their respective environments, these priorconstructions are not satisfactory as applied to the noted Payne typeapparatus. Thus, where there are a plurality of individual dispensingcardles, each manually operated by the customer and each fed from aseparate supply rack, an individual supply exhause detector isrequiredfor each cradle.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a partial cross-section view of a rotarycradle support for a coin-operated vending machine of the type describedin the above-noted Payne patents.

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG.1.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 denotes a portion of apart cylindrical cradle having an integral, flattened rear portion 12.An ear I4 is integral with the front edge of cradle 12 and is secured,as by welding or a rivot, to zone 16 of disc 18. Integral ears 20 and 22also carried by cradle 10 are apertured as indicated and are alignedwith apertures 24 and 26, respectively, in pivoted L-shaped bracket 28.The lowermost portion of bracket 28, as viewed in FIG. 2, is providedwith a bend which defines an outer and elongated bearing rocking zone29. Apertures 30 and 32 of plate 18 receive headed studs 36 and 38respectively, with springs 40 and 42, respectively, engaging the headsof the studs for urging the heads to the left. The right end of stud 36is engaged by lock washer 46, while the right end of stud 38 is engagedby lock washer 44. In the assembled state illustrated in FIG. 1, thebracket 28 is positioned to the right of ears 20 and 22, with studs 36and 38 passing through plate 18, ears 20 and 22 and thence bracket 28.With this arrangement, the left face of bracket 28 resiliently bearsagainst the inside surfaces of ears 20 and 22.

Numeral 50 denotes a portion of an upstanding sheet metal frame in thevending machine and includes swaged portion 52, the latter defining acylindrical journal. Cylindrical portion 54 of knob 56 fits into journal52. Knob 56 may be provided with handle 58. In the assembled arrangementillustrated in FIG. 1, threaded fastner elements 60 pass through theindicated apertures in plate 18 and into the right hand face ofcylindrical portion 54 of knob 56. With assembly of elements, plate 18is secured to knob 56 and, when the knob is rotated, cradle supportmember 10 is accordingly also rotated about its longitudinal axis byvirtue of the connection between the cradle and plate 18. Elongatedsheet metal runner 62 is positioned next to sheet metal plate 50 asindicated at FIG. 1 and is adapted to define a latch abutment engagableby hook portion 64 at the end of one leg of L-shaped bracket 28.

The operation of the elements above described is as follows.

With an object to be dispensed, such as a conventional soft drink can,resting in cradle 10 as indicated by the phantom lines of FIG. 1, legportion 68 of bracket 28 is forced downwardly, against the bottomportion of cradle 10, and against the action of springs 40 and 42. Thiscauses hook portion 64 of bracket 28 to assume the dashed positionindicated at FIG. 1 of the drawings. Rotation of knob 56, in thecounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, and as indicated by thearrow, causes similar rotation or tilting of cradle 10. This motioncontinues until the portion 12 of the cradle tilts somewhat downwardlywith the can or other object to be dispensed spilling off or rolling offthe cradle 10. The dispensed object then falls into a chute or any otherzone or area of the machine (not illustrated) for delivery to thecustomer.

The knob 56 is then released by the user, the cradle then rotates back(by a biasing spring not illustrated) to the position illustrated in thedrawings. By a known arrangement, such as shown in the abovementionedPayne patents, another can slides into cradle 10 for a subsequentdispensing operation. When the supply of cans from the hopper whichfeeds a given cradle is exhausted, there will be no can available todepress leg portion 68 of bracket 28. The bracket will then assume thesolid position indicated at FIG. 1, with hook portion 64 being directlyaligned with an edge of runner 62. When the customer now attempts torotate knob 56 in a counter clockwise direction for that particularcradle, it is found that rotation can be made for a very short angularextent. This is because hook portion 64 now abuts the edge of runner 62.The customer is then compelled to either make another selection from oneof the other cradles, or else obtain a refund of the coin by means of acoin return apparatus, in a manner well known and not described.

I claim:

1. A vending machine of the type having a plurality of rotatabledispensing cradles, each adapted to support a single item to bedispensed, the improvement comprising, for each cradle,

a. a latch carried by the cradle, the latch in one position precludingrotation of the cradle, the latch in its other position beingdisengaged,

b. means carried by said latch responsive to the absence of an articlein the cradle to prevent rotation of the cradle.

2. The vending machine of claim 1 wherein said latch is defined by agenerally L-shaped bracket rockably mounted on the cradle, the bracketbeing resiliently normally biased to assume a latched position.

3. The vending machine of claim 2 wherein the said means (b) of claim 1is defined by one leg of the L- shaped bracket, the said one leg beingdepressed downward by an article to be dispensed, against the resilientbias.

4. The vending machine of claim 3 including,

a. an abutment adjacent said L-shaped latch,

b. and wherein the other leg of said latch is normally positionedcontiguous to said abutment, rotation of the cradle in the latchedposition being prevented by the said other leg striking said abutment.

5. The vending machine of claim 4 wherein the said other leg of saidlatch carries a tongue at its end, the tongue adapted to engage saidabutment in the latching position of the L-shaped bracket.

6. The vending machine of claim 4 wherein said one leg of said bracketincludes a strip through which fasteners pass, said strip making anacute angle with said one leg portion of said bracket, said leg portionadapted to be contacted and depressed by an article to be dispensed,said cradle having upright integral ear portions through which saidfasteners pass, said strip being normally resiliently biased by saidfasteners to lie flat against said ears, whereby the leg portionnormally assumes an angle with respect to the cradle until depressed byan article to be dispensed.

1. A vending machine of the type having a plurality of rotatable dispensing cradles, each adapted to support a single item to be dispensed, the improvement comprising, for each cradle, a. a latch carried by the cradle, the latch in one position precluding rotation of the cradle, the latch in its other position being disengaged, b. means carried by said latch responsive to the absence of an article in the cradle to prevent rotation of the cradle.
 2. The vending machine of claim 1 wherein said latch is defined by a generally L-shaped bracket rockably mounted on the cradle, the bracket being resiliently normally biased to assume a latched position.
 3. The vending machine of claim 2 wherein the said means (b) of claim 1 is defined by one leg of the L-shaped bracket, the said one leg being depressed downward by an article to be dispensed, against the resilient bias.
 4. The vending machine of claim 3 including, a. an abutment adjacent said L-shaped latch, b. and wherein the other leg of said latch is normally positioned contiguous to said abutment, rotation of the cradle in the latched position being prevented by the said other leg striking said abutment.
 5. The vending machine of claim 4 wherein the said other leg of said latch carries a tongue at its end, the tongue adapted to engage said abutment in the latching position of the L-shaped bracket.
 6. The vending machine of claim 4 wherein said one leg of said bracket includes a strip through which fasteners pass, said strip making an acute angle with said one leg portion of said bracket, said leg portion adapted to be contacted and depressed by an article to be dispensed, said cradle having upright integral ear portions through which said fasteners pass, said strip being normally resiliently biased by said fasteners to lie flat against said ears, whereby the leg portion normally assumes an angle with respect to the cradle until depressed by an article to be dispensed. 